Constructor: Brandon Koppy
Relative problem: Medium
THEME: GALAXY-BRAIN (61A: Having concepts far too profound for anybody else to understand … and what may aid you resolve this puzzle?) — first phrases of themers are elements of a “galaxy” (all star-related):
- NEBULA AWARD (18A: Honor for “Dune” and “American Gods”)
- STARSTRUCK (25A: Like Swifties vis-à-vis Taylor Swift)
- “BLACK HOLE SUN” (37A: Grammy-winning Soundgarden hit of 1994)
- NOVA SCOTIA (52A: Canadian province on the Gulf of Maine)
Phrase of the Day: GALAXY-BRAIN (61A) —
- (Web slang, usually sarcastic) Enigmatic, perplexing, unfathomable; tough to perceive or comprehend.
From a preferred meme wherein an more and more absurd or surreal sequence of ideas with a standard theme is paired with a sequence of photographs displaying a human mind increasing and emitting progressively brighter beams of sunshine, thus mockingly presenting the concepts as too profound for a mean thoughts to understand moderately than nonsensical. (wordsense)
Galaxy Mind, often known as Increasing Mind, is a multi-panel exploitable picture sequence evaluating the mind dimension of an individual relative to different variables. Although the increasing mind is often implied to showcase mental superiority over numerous objects, it’s extra usually utilized in an ironic sense to indicate the alternative, the place objects of derision are implied to be of upper commonplace than objects which are often extremely regarded. For instance, when used with Whomst, an individual who makes use of “who” can be proven with the smallest mind, whereas an individual who makes use of essentially the most ridiculous variation, i.e. “whomst’d’ve”, can be proven with the biggest mind. // This meme originated as a part of the “Whomst” meme the place the left column was derivations of the phrase “Who” have been paired with more and more elaborate footage of brains relying on how intense the “who” variation was. One of the crucial fashionable early examples was posted to /r/dankmemes on Reddit on January thirty first, 2017 by janskishimanski in a publish that gained practically 1,200 upvotes. (Know Your Meme)
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Undecided I’ve seen a clue change part-of-speech on me mid-clue like that earlier than (from adj. to n.), however there is a first time for every little thing, I assume. Going out on a limb right here and guessing that “GALAXY-BRAIN” (adj.) goes to be unfamiliar to many not-extremely-online individuals, notably older individuals. It has its origins in a meme, and (traditionally talking) a reasonably current one. I used to be semi-stunned to seek out that the time period (as up to date slang, anyway) dates again solely to 2017. I do know that is 8 years in the past now, however for me, that is like yesterday. Simply occurred. Sigh. I am usually actually belated on selecting up new slang, however I am on-line sufficient to know what “GALAXY-BRAIN” means … not that you just actually wanted to have heard the time period earlier than to resolve the puzzle, which is without doubt one of the issues I do not actually like concerning the revealer: the clue jokes that having a GALAXY BRAIN (n.) may “assist” you resolve the puzzle, however realizing one thing about precise galaxies or stars is ineffective—the “star” angle is one thing you uncover solely by accident. So whereas the GALAXY a part of the revealer is sensible, the BRAIN half I did not purchase. If I might really *wanted* to assume “stars!” in an effort to resolve the puzzle, I would really feel in a different way. I do just like the revealer as a standalone phrase, and I give the puzzle credit score for Actually Attempting to be present in its fill and cluing (though I am not the very best choose of “present”; my middle-aged mind nonetheless thinks “BLACK HOLE SUN” is present).
“NOVA” is the one theme phrase that is doing what theme phrases oughta do, i.e. disguise (the “NOVA” in NOVA SCOTIA shouldn’t be the star-related model, whereas all the opposite theme phrases, as they seem within the grid, are, or are primarily based on, their star-related that means). Cannot actually fault the puzzle an excessive amount of for the inconsistency, as NEBULA does not actually give you non-star-related cluing routes. I appreciated the fill not less than as a lot as I did not just like the fill, and nonetheless I felt concerning the fill, it by no means felt sloppy or unpolished, so I recognize that. Undecided I cherished it, however I undoubtedly discovered it fascinating and was by no means bored.
The puzzle retains issues fascinating by various the fill, quite a bit, and never over-relying on drained brief stuff. You are not gonna get by a grid with out an IMAC right here and and APED there, however a lot of the brief stuff is inconspicuous, and the center to longer stuff is fairly bouncy. I struggled most, as usually occurs, to start with, within the NW, the place I wished DIMWIT as a substitute of DINGUS and issues form of fell aside from there (1D: Nincompoop). I additionally wished OWNS (or PWNS?) for LAPS (19D: Trounces in Mario Kart, say). Between these two errors, and never having any thought what “Boystown” was (21A: Institution in Chicago’s Boystown = GAY BAR), yeah, numerous slipping and sliding round up entrance. Not loving the extremely redundant BABY CRIB—makes about as a lot sense as “Child bassinet”; [Bassinet alternative] needs to be CRIB. However in any other case, that nook got here out fairly good. As I mentioned, good fill on the center and longer ranges: ASPARAGUS, “I MEAN IT!,” PLAN AHEAD, “NOT AGAIN!,” SASHIMI, DOLL UP, all welcome. As soon as I received out of the NW, the problem degree appeared to even out. No additional issues … past having NEW TO as a substitute of NEW AT (7D: Unfamiliar with), and having completely no thought who the RAP ACE was … oh, sorry, that is not a RAP ACE, that is one title, RAPACE (13D: Actress Noomi of “Prometheus”). She has been in a ton of stuff, however damned if I’ve seen most of it, or managed to retain her title. I do not even keep in mind the film Prometheus. I sincerely thought Prometheus was that current TV present the place Jeff Goldblum performed Zeus??? However that was referred to as Kaos (RIP Kaos).
Notes:
- 18A: Honor for “Dune” and “American Gods” (NEBULA AWARD) — undecided I’d’ve steered into Neil Gaiman, at this level, if I have been a clue author. Lotsa works have received NEBULA AWARDs, looks as if, as a substitute of American Gods, you possibly can’ve gone with a piece by somebody who’s not going through a host of sexual assault allegations.
- 1D: Nincompoop (DINGUS) — The one particular person I’ve heard say “DINGUS” as an insult is Nelson on The Simpsons. I do know this phrase primarily as a substitute for “thingie.” Not less than I believe that is the way it’s getting used right here (from early in Chandler’s The Lengthy Goodbye, when Terry comes over to Marlowe’s early within the morning asking for a experience to Tijuana):
I left him with that vibrant chatter and went out to the kitchen on the again. I turned the recent water on and received the espresso maker down off the shelf. I moist the rod and measured the stuff into the highest and by that point the water was steaming. I stuffed the decrease half of the dingus and set it on the flame. I set the higher half on high and gave it a twist so it will bind.
- 14D: Emitted squiggly strains, in a cartoon (STANK) — these strains are technically (very, very technically) often called “waftaroms.” Not less than based on cartoonist Mort Walker, they’re.
- 12D: In delusion, one who flew too near the solar (ICARUS) — would’ve appreciated this as a form of wink on the puzzle’s theme, besides the clue dupes “solar” (from “BLACK HOLE SUN“) so I do not prefer it a lot.
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
